Traditional streaming of content during a session, however, is limited to a particular client that is utilized to access the content. When ordering a VOD (e.g., a movie), for instance, a session is initiated between a particular set-top box and a head end such that the movie is streamed to the particular set-top box. If the user wishes to view the movie utilizing a new client, however, a new session is initiated between the head end and the new client that is not aware of the previous session that was utilized to stream the content for output to the user. This lack of awareness may result in additional costs, such as to purchase conditional access rights to access the content utilizing the new client, in network bandwidth costs of networks utilized to stream the content, and so on.
Example: A user has two devices: UE1 (UE stands for user equipment) and UE2. UE 1 is mobile device with small screen and low data rate. UE 2 is a laptop with big screen and very high data rate. User wishes the video content that he was watching on the UE1 to be rendered on UE2. UE1 and UE2 may be physically far away connected either wirelessly or over wire to a network of same operator or different operator.
Example 2: Call transfer feature for voice call over IP network using Session Initiation Protocol. This is restricted to only VoIP. Here a user or receptionist picks the call and then redirects the incoming call to the appropriate extension. For some implementation it is possible to program a re-director such that without the intervention of a receptionist, the call will be redirected, either temporarily or permanently, to another phone number.
In the case of streaming of video content, due to the lack of awareness of the previous session between the user and the head end, even when the same session is initiated between a new client and the head end, the user is required to manually navigate through the content to continue output of the content at a corresponding point-in-time in the output of the session.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for redirection of streaming content.